The Past Is Left Behind
by hotchgirl18
Summary: Set after season 7. A new agent joins the B.A.U team. She's Grace Foyet, daughter of George Foyet, the Boston Reaper. How does Hotch take to her? How does the team react? And what happens when a Reaper copycat is on the loose? Can Grace ever escape the notoriety of her name?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: New Agent

The raven-haired beauty sat across from SSA Aaron Hotchner. Her jet black, long hair matched her piercing blue eyes. Her dark, black hair was even blacker than Prentiss—and that was saying something.

"Agent Grace," Hotch said all buisness like, "your file is really impressive. You come to us three years in the Innocent Images Unit, and you are apparently a better shot than me." Grace laughed and said, "That's what they all say. But I don't believe it's true. You're like a sharpshooter or something!"

"Many years in the SWAT team do that to you," Hotch answered, "for a 28 year old, you are remarkably impressive. What makes you want to join the B.A.U?"

"Well, sir," Grace answered, "I spent five years hunting down pedophiles. I had to learn to profile because we used the chatrooms to catch them. I wanted to apply that knowledge to profiling serial killers. I want to catch them and stare down the worst of the worst. And, well, with my past, I know my fair share of 'worse.'"

"Your past," Hotch muttered.

"Is that going to be a problem, sir?" the prospective agent asked politely, "because I can transfer if-"

"Oh, no, no," Hotch said, "you are more than qualified for the job."

"It's just, that, well, being the daughter of George Foyet-"

"Relax," Hotch said sharply, "that won't be a problem. I give all my agents equal treatment."

Grace jumped.

"Sorry," Hotch apologized, "it's just that-"

"Hearing that name makes you jump," Grace finished, profiling him,"believe me, if I knew my mother, I'd change it. Guess I'm always gonna be Grace Foyet." She had an edge of bitterness in her tone.

"What happened to your mother?" Hotch asked.

"She died. I was told she died giving birth to me, but-" She stopped. The Unit Chief and the Reaper's daughter looked at each other. They both knew what Grace was thinking.

"I'd be more than happy to look at it," Hotch offered, "I can get the team on it."

"The team?" Agent Grace asked.

"The same team you're going to be a part of."

"You mean I get the job?!" Grace exclaimed. She had to restrain herself from jumping up and down.

"Yes. Agent Grace, you are more than qualified for the job. You can be our sexual offenses expert. And, with your...background, I think we could really get some fresh perspective."

"You mean, you're not apprehensive?" Grace asked.

"I'm not gonna lie. I am...a little nervous," the Unit Chief said, "but that's nothing against you. I don't hold it against you at all."

"Not even what happened to you? What did happen, by the way?" Grace asked.

"That's a story for another time, and you won't like it, Grace." She nodded. She didn't know everything, but she did know some of it. And, from the looks of it, it wasn't pretty.

"The team?" Grace asked, innocently, "do they know?"

"No, not yet," Hotch answered.

"I'd prefer we keep it that way as long as possible."

"Grace, they're bound to find out sooner or later. And if Garcia finds anything-" Grace gulped.

"Oh god," Grace shook her head.

"Let's go meet the team," Hotch said, "I'm sure they'll love you once they get to know you. And, if they say anything about the past, I'll deal with it. I plan to give my new agents a fair chance."

"Morning, mortals!" Garcia exclaimed.

"Whatcha excited about, babygirl? I hear there's a new profiler joining us," Morgan teased.

"I can't wait to meet her," Garcia said, "I love Prentiss and I do not like change. But, I wonder if she's nice."

"Well, you're about to find out," Hotch walked through the door with the mysterious woman.

"Penelope Garcia, this is Agent Grace F-Agent Grace," he said.

"Hi," Garcia said, "you look a lot like Prentiss."

Grace laughed.

"I've been told that a couple times."

"Grace, this is Morgan, JJ, Reid, and Rossi." Grace went around to shake hands.

"Okay, now that pleasantries have been made, let's get started," commanded Garcia, "three teenage girls have been found sexually assaulted and dead in the past two weeks in Mayfield."

"Two weeks?" Grace asked, "this unsub is moving rather quick."

"Yeah, here's the weird part," Garcia said, "their bodies were all found at the football stadium at the local high school. And the killings all coincided with high school football games."

"Maybe the unsub's trying to make a statement about small towns?" JJ asked, "High school sports are everything in small towns. Marcus Younger kidnapped three soccer players in North Mammon."

"Or, maybe this guy just has a penchant for teenage girls," Rossi quipped.

"We need to look at parents, teachers, and coaches," Grace said, "my guess is one of them is the unsub. Pedophiles look for jobs with easy access to kids." Everyone looked at Grace.

"I worked three years at the Innocent Images Unit," Grace explained. The team nodded. That explained how she knew so much about these cases.

"Well, the next football game is Saturday. It's Monday," Hotch said, "if the unsub is a teacher or coach, he's hiding among the crowd. Wheels up in thirty." As everyone gathered their go bags, Hotch stopped Grace.

"Hey, are you gonna be able to do this?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I be able to?"

"You know, he was an ephebeophile?"

"Yes, I know," Grace said, "I'll be fine. Let's go catch this SOB."


	2. Chapter 2 Briefing

Chapter 2: Briefing

"Okay, we need to find a common denominator between these victims, Lindsay Rogers, Nicole Colman, and Kelly Drake," Hotch commanded.

"Common denominator?" Grace asked, "they all go to the same school."

"We like to look for other things that link a victim," JJ explained, "things like classes, camps, church groups."

"Well, Lindsay Rogers was a cheerleader," Grace added.

"What was Nicole's schedule like?" Hotch asked.

"The usual math, science, and English classes," JJ said, "she was also a cheerleader."

"Let me guess," Morgan piped, "Kelly Drake was a cheerleader too."

"Yep."

"Good work, Grace," Hotch complimented, "this only confirms your theory that the unsub either knows them or works at the school."

"But why game day?" Reid asked, "I mean statistically-"

"REID!" everyone shouted. Grace looked at JJ who simply mouthed, "Don't ask."

"That's what we need to find out. Reid, talk to the coach. See if any players had an unusual interest in the cheerleaders. Rossi, you and Morgan talk to the principal and see if any other students were interested in cheerleaders."

"I'll talk to the victims' family and friends," JJ offered.

"Good," Hotch said, "Grace and I will set up at the station and work victimology."

As Hotch and Grace exited the plane last, Hotch said sternly, "You will be with me all the time."

"Yes sir," Grace was taken aback by his sternness.

"At least, until we can find a way to break it to the team," Hotch added gently.

"Now wouldn't be a good time," Grace said.

"No, which is why I insist you stay with me until we can tell them."

"Agent Hotchner?" the detective asked.

"Hi," he said, shaking his hand, "this is Agent Grace."

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking the Iyoung woman's hand, "follow me."

"Detective, what do you plan to do because there's another game scheduled for Friday?"

"I plan to continue with the game as usual."

"With all due respect sir," Hotch added in a tone that indicated he _didn't_ respect him, "three cheerleaders are dead. Their deaths coincided with their games and right now, _your_ best suspects are the student and faculty."

"What can you tell me about the football coach?" the serial killer's daughter asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"Coach Kennedy?" the detective asked, "he's number one coach in the state. He's also our basketball coach. All the teams have been taken to championship."

"We have agents going over there to interview him now."

The detective scratched his head.

"I suppose I could have the school cancel the game. I mean, in the wake of these deaths, school security has been ramped up. The only thing is, people treat high school football like it's a religion here!"

"That could work to our advantage," Grace thought. Hotch raised his eyebrow.

"If the unsub is targeting cheerleaders on game day," Grace continued, "then the next game should draw him out. We'll continue on with the game like it's normal, but have extra security. Of course, we'll be there too. If one of the players or faculty is missing, we'll know about it."

"That's a great idea!" the detective exclaimed, "I'll have the school send more guards." As he walked away, Hotch smirked to himself. Grace Foyet definitely had her father's cleverness, but she used it for good.

"Coach Kennedy?" JJ asked. The football coach looked up from his office.

"How may I help you?" he asked.

"I'm Dr. Spencer Reid with the FBI. Mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Oh, is this about those three cheerleaders?" Coach Kennedy asked, "God, I can't believe something like this would happen to my girls!"

"Your girls?" Reid asked.

"The football practice and cheer leading practices happen at the same time. So we can all be ready for the games. I tell, you Coach Walden—the cheer advisor is tore up about this. The cops already questioned her. She said all three were good girls. They loved what they did and never got in any trouble. Hell, they didn't have boyfriends, which if you ask me is pretty unusual," he chuckled.

"Have any of your players taken an interest in them?" Reid asked.

"They're high school boys, Dr. Reid. Whaddya expect?"

"This would've been obsessive. He would've been stalking them ahead of time. He would know their routines and he would've been sexually vulgar with them."

"No, no," Coach Kennedy shook his head, "I taught my boys respect. No, I haven't noticed anything like that."

"Okay, thank you for your time. Yeah Morgan?" Reid asked as he walked out the door.

"Mr. Waldrop, the principal couldn't give me any names," Morgan said.

"I talked to all three victim's families," JJ added, "Couldn't think of a single person who'd wanna hurt them."

"The unsub is someone in that school," Grace said, "I just know it."

"Gut feeling?" Rossi asked. Grace nodded. _Ring Ring_. That was Garcia on line one.

"Whatcha got for me babygirl?" Morgan asked.

"I've got something uber weird on the football coach. Geez, these schools really need to do their homework. In 1997, Mark Kennedy got arrested for fondling a fourteen year old. Within two years, he was back on the street! He's been the head basketball and football coach at Mayfield High School ever since!"

"Grace, you're gut knows what it's talking about," Rossi quipped.


	3. Chapter 3 Reveal

Chapter 3: Reveal

The crowd went wild. Mayfield High School just scored a touchdown. The cheerleaders cheered. Meanwhile, Hotch, Grace, and Morgan were standing guard. They were hoping they could catch Coach Kennedy off guard.

"It's halftime," Rossi radioed in. He was actually in the stands, watching the game.

"Got it Dave," Hotch said.

The band marched. It was halftime now. Coach Kennedy was seen talking to one of the cheerleaders.

"Oh boy, this isn't good," Grace murmured.

"I have Garcia tracking his cell phone," Morgan reassured, "if he tries anything stupid, we'll know." Suddenly, the band's number was interrupted by a loud, piercing scream.

"We go NOW!" Hotch exclaimed. The three agents raced into the woods. Mark Kennedy was tying the girl up, trying to insert himself in her. Suddenly, Morgan tackled him

"Mark Kennedy, you are under arrest for the rapes and murders of Lindsay Rogers, Nicole Colman, and Kelly Drake ," Morgan said, "Get UP!" He hauled the disgraced football coach out of the stadium.

"Shh, it's okay," Grace reassured, "it's okay. My name's Grace and you're gonna be okay." She untied the cheerleader and helped her get to the ambulance.

"What a piece of scum," Morgan seethed.

"Tell me about it," Grace agreed.

"Ah, saying he's a piece of scum would be an insult to scum," Rossi snarked.

"So, I hear the cheerleader, Robin Townsend is gonna be okay," Rossi said back on the jet.

"That's good," Hotch murmured.

"That high school's reputation will be forever tarnished," Hotch said, "it's like a smaller scale version of Penn State.

"You did really well with Robin," JJ commented.

"Remarkably well for your first case," Hotch agreed, "I'm impressed."

"With my background, there's not a lot that I haven't seen."

"You specialized in sexual offenses for three years at the Innocent Images Unit," Morgan pointed out.

"Hotch, I have to tell them!" Grace exclaimed. Hotch grimaced.

"Tell us what?" Rossi asked.

"My father," she gulped, "you caught him not long ago. My father was...a serial killer."

Grace?" Rossi asked, "as in Henry or William Grace?"

"No, no," she said, "Grace as in Grace Foyet." She paused for a moment to let it sink in.

"But-but, that's not possible!" Reid stuttered, "we never profiled he had a child!"

"We never profiled he had a child, because we didn't know she existed. He kept her hidden from the outside world."

"And you knew about this?" Morgan asked, "before you hired her?"

"Yes," Hotch nodded.

"I was born in 1984. Yes, he knocked my mother up when he was 18. He didn't want to have anything to do with me, so I was shipped off to my uncle Bo. I didn't know my mother because I was told she died in childbirth. But-"

"But you think your father killed her."

"I don't think. I know he did." Hotch flashbacked to when Strauss questioned him. _I don't have to think. I know he would have killed my son too._

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Morgan held up his hand, "with all due respect, what makes you think he killed your mother?"

"Because he's an omnivore!" Grace exclaimed, "he'll kill anybody who gets in the way! You KNOW he killed his parents when he was nine. What makes you think he wouldn't kill my mother?!

Hotch had to be impressed. She was strong and passionate, and she was profiling her father.

"Anyhow," Grace continued, "it wasn't until I was 25 when I found out who my father really was. I knew I wanted to help people. I've always wanted to help people from day one. I thought about being a nurse or a police officer. When I found out that my father was the Boston Reaper, I wanted to join the FBI. You all know I worked for the Innocent Images Unit. He was an ephebophile and if I could prevent _one_ person from being a victim of these crimes, then I did good." She fought back tears.

"After Prentiss left," Hotch finished, "I was scrambling to find a new profiler. I had read about Grace Foyet. She had the highest number of pedophiles caught. She even rivaled Elle Greenaway. I had her interviewed several times before I made my decision."

"And you knew about her past this whole time?" Morgan asked.

"Yes, Morgan," Hotch replied tersely.

"I realize this is a lot to take in," Grace said, "if you want me to transfer, I'll be happy to do that." She went to an empty seat on the jet and sat alone.

"Yes, because working with a serial killer's daughter will be no problem," Morgan quipped.

"Morgan!" Hotch exclaimed, "we worked with Agent Seaver before. Now, her father was the Redmond Ripper and last I heard, she's doing an excellent job under Andi Swann's leadership. Like it or not, Grace is a part of this team and I think we can all learn something from her."

"Yeah, like how to kill," the dark-skinned agent responded.

"Derek Morgan!" Hotch exclaimed, "now, like it or not, she is a part of this team. She didn't figure out who her biological father was until very recently. We will talk about this when we land."

"I'll go check on her," Rossi offered, "this isn't the first time I've worked with the daughter of a notorious killer." He glared at Morgan as he walked over to the crying woman.


	4. Chapter 4 Fire

Chapter 4: Fire

As Rossi helped the crying agent gather her things at the office, Morgan confronted Hotch right in the middle of the bullpen.

"Hotch, man, you can't be serious," Morgan protested.

"I know what you're thinking," Hotch said, "I didn't expect it either. But, she _is_ qualified."

"Qualified?!" Morgan exclaimed, "she's a serial killer's daughter!"

"So was Ashley Seaver," Hotch growled.

"Man, you're just pulling out all the stops for her, aren't you?" Morgan shook his head.

"She doesn't have anyone," Hotch explained, "she acts like a big, strong, agent, but she still has traces of a scared little girl."

"Yeah, who's dad just so happens to be the BOSTON REAPER!"

"Morgan," Hotch said, "you need to back off. Give it time."

"Oh, like when you grieved for Haley? Or when you were stabbed in your own damn apartment?"

"George Foyet did that," Hotch growled, "and I had to stop blaming myself for what happened."

"He also left me a bullet," Morgan pulled it out, "and now you're working with his flesh and blood!"

"It. Was. Not. Her. Fault," Hotch growled dangerously, "she never asked to be his daughter." Morgan rolled his eyes.

"But she is! What about Shaugnessy? Haley? Colson? The freaking bus?"

"George Foyet killed them. _Not_ Grace Foyet."

"How did she get this past the recruiters?" Morgan asked.

"They already knew about her past. Like she said, she didn't know the full extent of her father's actions until she was 25."

"Oh, and you just believe her, huh?"

"Agent _Foyet_ ," Hotch said, putting special emphasis on the name _Foyet,_ "is more than qualified to be an agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit. She has experience that no one else has and can give us a fresh set of eyes."

"She brainwashed you, man!" That did it. Hotch yanked Morgan by the arm and dragged him to Rossi's door.

"You see that, huh?" Rossi asked, "that's not the mark of a sociopathic killer. That's a scared, sad girl who doesn't feel she should be here because of her past. Worse, that's a girl who doesn't feel she belongs because ANOTHER AGENT made her feel unworthy of this position! The past does not define you, Morgan. You of all people should know that."

"Sorry, man," Morgan held up his hand in his defense, "I didn't know you wanted to be her father figure or something."

"Well, Rossi had his turn with Seaver, now it's my turn with Grace Foyet," he said.

"You know, saying that name doesn't sound weird to you anymore."

"Maybe it's because I've learned to let it go. I've learned to not blame myself for the actions of George Foyet. I've learned to grieve properly for Haley."

"Yeah, and all this time, we didn't know he had a daughter! How could we miss that? How could we not know that Grace FOYET is in this building, probably trying to finish what her father started?"

"ENOUGH!" Hotch yelled so loudly that Morgan jumped, "Grace has been a valuable asset on this case. She did remarkable for her first case."

"Yeah, because she was all high and mighty at the Innocent Images Unit! Did they know her own father was an ebebophile?"

"That's enough Agent Morgan," Hotch's terse tone set in, "until today, I was proud of you. I was proud to have a right hand man who could take over for me in my darkest time. Now, I'm ashamed to call you an agent. Derek Morgan, hand me your gun and your badge."

"You can't be serious, man!" Morgan exclaimed.

"I am. I will see to it that you never have a job in the bureau again. The FBI's motto is Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity. We are to be loyal to one another. The amount of disrespect you showed Agent Foyet and me astounds even me." Morgan rolled his eyes and reluctantly handed in his gun and badge.

"You will not come anywhere near Grace, or my team again. Now get out of my sight." Before Morgan started to leave, he heard Hotch's voice.

"And take this with you before you go." Aaron Hotchner punched Morgan in the face so hard he fell back and walked off.

"He hates me!" Grace cried, "the whole team hates me!"

"We don't hate you," Rossi assured, "it's just that Morgan takes time adjusting. I'm not gonna lie, this is all gonna take some time getting used to."

"Because all you can see is George Foyet," Grace stated, deadpan.

"No, I see a strong, confident young lady who can do anything she wants to. You could've done anything with your life, but you chose to come to the B.A.U. That says something." He smiled.

"Just give Morgan time," Rossi reassured, "he'll come around."

"He's gone," Hotch announced.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Rossi asked.

"I fired him. Believe me, Grace, he won't be a problem for you anymore."

"What..what did he do?" Grace asked.

"You don't wanna know," Hotch said.

"But-"

"Trust me, you don't."

"Hotch, my father was the Reaper. He stabbed you, for Pete's sake. There's not much I can't take."

Hotch took a deep breath.

"He started badmouthing you and saying nasty things about who you are. He also proceeded to back talk me and question my judgment. I wasn't having either of it."

"Doesn't surprise me," Rossi quipped, "the guy was always scrutinizing you in the midst of..."

"He's right, you know ," Grace said, "if I hadn't been born, none of this would've happened."

"Grace Alexandra Foyet," Hotch said in a stern tone. He walked over to her and place an arm around her.

"No matter what would've happened, your father would've kept killing. That's just who he is. He's a psychopath who wouldn't stop. You couldn't have changed that."

"But, that deal with the detective..."

"He only did that so he could have more control over the investigation," Hotch assured, "control and power were the most important to him. Nothing or no one could change that." A silence came over the three.

"I have his eyes," Grace choked out, "I have his eyes. The only thing I got from my mother was my smile. At least, that's what Uncle Bo told me. Pretty much all my facial features come from... _him_."

Hotch reached out and cupped her face.

"Grace Foyet, this is not the face of a killer," he brushed away her tears, "this is the face of a strong agent who worked hard to get where she is now. You beat him, Grace! You beat him!"

"I don't feel very strong right now."

"Let it all out," Rossi added, "the anger at your father and Morgan. Get it all out so we can start fresh tomorrow."

"I'm more hurt than angry with Morgan," Grace shrugged, "I thought you guys were like family."

"We are," Rossi said, "and you're a part of it, whether you like it or not!" Grace chuckled.

"Come on," Hotch helped her up, "I'll take you home. Luckily, tomorrow's just a paperwork day."

"I guess I need to brace myself," Grace said, "the team's gonna have a lot of questions."

"Reid will probably want to study you," Hotch snarked, "JJ will treat you like a big sister. Garcia will take time to warm up to you, but once she does, you may be forced to go on shopping excursions with her." Both laughed.

"But we're one man down," Grace said.

"We'll manage kiddo," Rossi said, "we'll manage."


	5. Chapter 5 Notes

Chapter 5: Notes

"I can't believe you punched him in the FACE!" Grace laughed as she and Hotch entered the round table room.

"Punched who?" Reid asked.

"Morgan," Hotch said deadpan. By that time, everyone had taken their usual seats.

"Before we begin the briefing," Hotch began, "Agent Derek Morgan has been terminated from his job."

"Why?" JJ asked. Everyone but Rossi, Hotch, and Grace looked confused.

"He was saying some rather derogatory things towards our newest team member," Hotch explained, "and I wasn't going to take that. I know this will all take some getting used to. I know we all miss Prentiss terribly. I also understand that her background may be a point of contention. I want her to succeed. And, given her experience, I think she will."

"If you don't mind my asking, what did he say to you?" Reid asked.

"Oh, the usual stuff," Grace shrugged, "stuff like I am destined to be like my father and he called me a psychopath, basically. He didn't use the word, but I knew what he meant."

"Well, that shouldn't mean anything!" Reid exclaimed, "I mean, just because your father is George Foyet-!"

"Just ignore him" JJ assured, "he'll come around. He says things he doesn't mean when he gets heated."

"No," Hotch said, "he proceeded to back talk me several times. He told me that I should never have hired Grace. He seemed pretty sincere about it, too. I just can't have that strife on my team. Do we understand?" The team nodded.

"I will say this," Hotch added, "Morgan walked away with a black eye."

"You PUNCHED him?!" the whole team exclaimed.

"I saw it," Rossi shrugged.

"Remind me to never get on your bad side," Reid snarked. He turned his attention to Grace.

"I still wanna study you though. I mean, the child of a serial killer is a fascinating subject. It-"

"Reid," Hotch warned.

"It's okay," Grace laughed. She looked at the young genius.

"You can come over to my place to study me," she winked.

"Agent Hotchner?" a woman walked in the door. It was Strauss. _Oh crap._

"So, it is my understanding that you terminated Agent Morgan from the Bureau. Why?" the Section Chief asked.

"Ma'am, he was doubting my judgment as team leader. He also made our newest Agent Grace Foyet cry."

"And what did he say to Agent Foyet?"

"He never said anything directly to her, ma'am. But, he did call her a psychopath, among other terms. He said she was a killer who was bound to be like her father. He didn't take it well at all. He even blamed her for Foyet's attack on me and Haley! He blamed everything...on pretty much her existence."

"And Agent Foyet never knew her father?"

"That's correct."

"What does Agent Foyet know about your ordeal?"

"Ma'am, I don't see how that's relevant."

"Well, sooner or later, you're gonna have to tell her," Strauss shrugged, "she knows most of her father's history, anyway. You can't keep her in the dark." Hotch nodded.

"And, last but not least, after you fired Agent Morgan, you punched him in the face?"

"That's correct ma'am."

A smirk loomed over the Section Chief and she gave Hotch a fist-bump, much to Hotch's surprise.

"If you ask me, he totally deserved it," Strauss said, "you should've fired him a long time ago. I mean, the guy was an arrogant, egotistical son of a-"

"Ma'am," the mail deliverer walked in, "I have a note addressed to an Agent Hotchner." Hotch opened the note and read it:

 _You should've made the deal._

Hotch's face went pale white.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Copycat

"Conference room, now!" Hotch commanded as he gathered up the whole team, plus Strauss.

"What's this about?" Reid asked.

"I just received a note from an anonymous source," Hotch explained, "it said 'you should have made the deal.'" He showed the team the contents of the note, which included the Eye of Providence.

"But, that's not possible!" JJ exclaimed, "Foyet's dead!" Just then, Grace—his daughter walked in.

"Is this about the notes?" Grace asked.

"Yes." Hotch's eyebrows furrowed.

"I got a note, too, sir," Grace said. Hotch took the envelope and read the contents of the note:

 _If you stop hunting me, I stop hunting them. Til death do us part._

"That's not possible!" Grace exclaimed, "you killed him with your bare hands!" He's DEAD!" Grace freaked out.

"Guys, a couple Martha and Bart Johnson just turned up dead in Boston. Daughter reported them missing. Said they never returned home from a concert last night. Also, the Eye of Providence was found on their car and the words "for Grace," was written in their blood," Garcia announced as she stormed in the round table room."

"This is clearly a copycat," Rossi said, "who has some special interest in Grace."

"I agree. It's a copycat who's just getting started. Wheels up in thirty. Grace, I need to see you for a minute."

As the rest of the team boarded the jet, Hotch said to Grace, "I don't want you working this case."

"Why?" Grace asked.

"Because it's too personal for you. You are his flesh and blood. The unsub could know you personally—which means you could be in danger."

"It's personal for you, too!" Grace exclaimed, "he killed your wife!" Hotch flinched.

"Sorry," she said, "but besides you, I am the only one who knows him personally. I studied his case. Hell, I'm his daughter. Besides you, I know him better than anyone!" Hotch nodded. He had to agree with her.

"You're going to here some things that may be...difficult. I'm going to have to tell you everything that happened to me. It could be connected to me, too. I mean, I got the first note," the Unit Chief said.

"Or, what if it's directed at both of us, given our history with him?" the Reaper's daughter asked. Hotch nodded. It was a good point.

"Alright, meet us in the jet," Hotch said. As the new agent walked away, Hotch thought _Good thing the only thing she got from her father was his determination._ At least she used it for good.

"Why the Reaper?" Strauss asked.

"He's the most prolific serial killer in Boston," Rossi said.

"Most copycats copy famous criminals to get attention or because they're in love with the killer," Grace said, "this one's personal."

"If it involves you and Hotch, damn right, it's personal," Rossi said.

"Dave," Hotch said softly.

"Still, his MO was pretty complex," JJ said, "and he changed it according to his mission, just as he did with Shaugnessy and Hotch."

"Who's Shaugnessy?" Grace asked.

"The detective he made the original deal with," Hotch answered, "we should look at his family and the victims. Anyone who might have a grudge against the B.A.U for taking ten years to solve it."

"Yeah, but the words 'for Grace were written at the crime scene," the newest member pointed out.

"An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us," Rossi answered, "you might be a part of his end game."

"Strauss and I will set up at the headquarters. Reid, you and Rossi check out the latest crime scene."

"Uh, Hotch?" Grace asked, "while we're here, I'd like to see my relatives. Uncle Bo hasn't seen me in a long time."

"Actually, that's a good idea," Hotch said, "take JJ with you. Your relatives may be able to give us some key information. It might take your mind off things. And, Grace, we can't rule them out, too."

"I think we can rule out my uncle Bo," she retorted.

"Why?" JJ asked. Grace whipped out her phone and showed them a picture. A fat man in a Hawaiian shirt smiled at the camera.

"Uncle Bo was a really good guy. But he smoked more cigarettes that Popeye. And, he's diabetic. I've been on him about his eating habits ever since I was twelve." She rolled her eyes. Despite the severity of the situation, the team laughed. Hotch had to stifle a chuckle, trying to take their mind off of the tension radiating in the room.

"We might talk to him anyway," JJ offered, "he might be able to help us out." Grace nodded.

"Are there any members of your family who have a grudge against you?" Rossi asked.

"Grandma Ruby always told me I was cursed from day one."

"What about relatives who were too close to your father?" Hotch asked.

She scrunched up her face.

"The only one I can think of is his cousin, Ben. But, he's in trouble all the damn time. Things like DUIs, drunk and disorderly, the guy's in jail every week it seems. He's been that way since high school. He and my father more or less fed off of one another."

"DUIs don't really say 'serial killer,' though," Reid pointed out.

"I'll talk to him," Grace offered, "I'm gonna be catching up with Uncle Bo anyway."

When they got off the plane, Hotch stopped Grace and said, "I didn't mean to interrogate you like that. It's just, you're the best shot we have at finding him. And, if it's personal," Hotch stopped and shrugged, "I'd hate to think one of your relative's involved. That's why I made JJ go with you."

"It's fine, Hotch," Grace said, "I understand. Besides, the unsub could go after my other relatives."

"I know."

"I just don't want it to come to that. I don't want any other people to die because of me."


	7. Chapter 7 Family Reunion

Chapter 7: Family Reunion

JJ and Grace knocked on Bo Foyet's door. A rather chubby old man in a loud, Hawaiian shirt answered the door.

"Grace!" he exclaimed, running to hug the young girl, "I haven't seen you in a while!"

"Careful, Uncle Bo," Grace returned the hug, "don't wanna fall!" She laughed.

"You want a cup of coffee?" Bo asked.

"Sounds good, I need my caffeine!"

"And, what can I get for the young, blonde lady?"

"Just water will be fine," JJ answered.

JJ listened intently as Bo and Grace reminisced. They laughed and seemed to be having a good time.

"Bo, not in front of JJ!" Grace scolded, as Bo told the familiar story of how Grace peed in her pants at her first dance recital.

"What? It was funny!" Bo laughed.

"Let it go, I had eight gallons of punch that night. I was nervous!"

"Er...not to interrupt this conversation," JJ said, "but we actually have some business to take care of."

"Business? What kind?" Bo asked.

"I'm Agent Jareau with the FBI," JJ explained, "we have some questions for you."

"What happened?" Bo asked. He wasn't a profiler, but he knew this wasn't good. Being related to an FBI agent and the Boston Reaper, he could spot trouble a mile away.

"Someone has been replicating my father's crimes," Grace explained.

"Oh, not again," Bo put his head in his face.

"What is it, Uncle Bo?" Grace asked concerned.

"I saw the news," Bo said solemnly, "it was exactly how it was in 1998. My town's being plagued again. I'm afraid to leave my _house_ now."

"The message 'for Grace,' was written at the crime scene," JJ explained.

"He's going after GRACE?" Bo all but yelled. Grace nodded.

"We think whoever is doing this has a vendetta against me. And it most likely has something to do with who my father is."

"God damn it!" Bo all but cried.

"Bo, Bo, I know it's tough," Grace comforted, "but can you think of anyone who's been giving you a hard time recently?" Bo shook his head.

"Can you think of anyone in your family who doesn't like Grace and has it out for her?" JJ asked.

"The only person I can think of is Grandma Ruby, but she's just a cantankerous bitch with too much time on her hands."

The girls nodded.

"What about Ben?" Grace asked.

"Ben's in the county jail right now. Got drunk at a bar last night and punched a guy's nose. He was in jail last week for mooning random people on the street."

Despite all this, Grace had to laugh. _Typical Ben_ she thought.

"Have you received any strange letters or phone calls? Any of them threatening?" JJ asked.

"No..nothing like that," Bo answered, bewildered, "why? Does this son of a bitch have it for me too?"

"He could be targeting you to get to Grace. We're putting all the Foyets in protective custody," JJ explained.

"The fact that someone is out there targeting MY baby girl..." the normally bumbling uncle raged.

"Bo, we know this is a hard time," JJ said, "but we need to you to think: Has anyone in your family mentioned Aaron Hotchner?"

"Who's that?"

"My boss," Grace explained, "he received a threatening note in the mail, as did I. After George Foyet killed his wife, Agent Hotchner beat him to death with his bare hands."

"Wow," Bo breathed, "This other 'reaper' THREATNED you?!"

"Bo, Bo, take it easy."

"No, I WON'T take it easy. But, I've never heard of this 'Hotchner' fellow and no one has mentioned him. He must be a mighty good boss. He's obviously taught you very well."

"We'll keep you posted," Grace said.

"You stay safe Grace," Bo said as he cupped her face, "I don't want to read about you, too. And if this guy wants revenge on you...take care of her Agent Jareau and tell that to Agent Hotchner."

"I will," JJ reassured.

"You stay safe yourself, Bo," Grace choked out.

"We checked out the original victim's families," Rossi said, "everyone has solid alibies. Most are long gone or way too old anyway."

"We checked out Shaughnessy's family, too," Reid said, "most of them are too far and his wife has just passed away." Just then, Grace and JJ walked in.

"Any luck with your uncle Bo?" Hotch asked.

"Uncle Bo couldn't really tell me anything. Ben Foyet's cooling his heels in jail for getting drunk, but, nothing really sticks out. There's been no threatening e-mails, no phone calls. The only one who's really around is Grandma Ruby. I guess I should be glad."

"That means we can rule out your family," Hotch said.

"But we still don't have any leads," Grace pointed out. Just then, Grace's phone rang. Figuring it was her uncle, she answered it.

"Hello?" she asked

Heavy breathing was on the other end. A low, gravelly voice whispered, "If you stop hunting me, I stop hunting them. Take the deal. It's a good deal."


	8. Chapter 8 No Deal

Chapter 8: No Deal

Just like that, the line went dead.

"Grace?" Reid asked, "what's wrong?"

"He called me," Grace answered, "he called me and offered me the same deal my father made to Shaugnessy and Hotch."

"Foyet called me at my hotel room," Hotch said.

"Then, that means one thing," Rossi said, "he has it out for both of you."

"Which means the killer _knows_ both of us," Grace realized, "how is that possible?" Just then, JJ came busting through the door.

"We got a major problem," JJ said, "neighbors noticed a foul smell coming from one of the adjacent houses. When the police got there, they found a man in a Hawaiian shirt dead." Grace's face went cold.

"No," Grace whispered, "no."

"Grace," Rossi said.

"I JUST SAW HIM!" Grace wailed.

"Grace, maybe you should stay here," Hotch offered, "the rest of us can go check it out."

"No," Grace said, " I need to see it for myself."

"People have an innate curiosity to see-"

"REID!" everyone yelled, "Now's not the time!"

"Sorry."

"It's him," Hotch stated solemnly, "Bo Foyet."

"No," Grace said, "no." If it wasn't for Hotch catching her, she would've fallen to the floor. She wept. There was her beloved uncle, taken away in a body bag. She wailed.

"BO!" she cried out. Hotch had to restrain her. When he was finally wheeled away, Grace said, "It was all my fault! I should've never been born and I should've taken the damn deal!" She ran out the door. Hotch could only look on. Just then, Rossi came out. Hotch sat on the front steps and put his face in his hand.

"I take it she's not taking it very well," Rossi noticed.

"Well, what do you think, Dave?" Hotch snapped, then added, "Sorry." Rossi nodded.

"She's right, you know," Hotch said, "it wasn't her fault. It was mine." He never thought he'd be grieving the death of a Foyet, but here he was. He figured he always grieved with his teammates.

"Hey," Rossi scolded, "we've been through this before, remember. It's not your fault, and it sure as hell isn't Grace's."

"But the deal...fate. I must be cursed."

"Hotch, he's just trying to get into your head. Just like the original did. Don't give this one the satisfaction. He's just trying to mess with you and all of us. Don't let him get to Grace either. She's been through enough."

"Dave, he was _watching_ them!" Hotch exclaimed, "how else could he have known Grace was going to see him today?" He clenched his teeth in anger. Rossi's fist tightened up.

"He's trying to mess with them. He apparently gets off on psychological torture. This, in his mind is his revenge," Rossi said.

"Look," he continued, "if you wanna blame someone, blame Boston Reaper Number Two. Otherwise, let yourself off the hook. We had no way of knowing this was coming. Now, go talk to Grace. She's gonna need you a lot."

"Grace!" Hotch ran to the distraught woman, "whatever you may believe, this is not your fault."

"Hotch, I'm the Reaper's daughter! How can this _not_ be my fault? I'm a Foyet! You should hate me!"

"But I don't," Hotch countered, "and neither does the team. Yes, you are Grace Foyet, but you _beat_ him!" Hotch grabbed her shoulders and made her turn around to look at him, "You beat him. You rivaled Elle Greenaway in terms of sex crimes. You deserve to be here."

"But three people, including my uncle are dead because of me!"

"Grace, I believed the same thing for many years," Hotch said, "when George Foyet massacred ten people at a bus, I believed it was my fault for not taking the deal. I turned him down and immediately after that, he went and murdered them. But Rossi told me, it was HIS fault, not mine. He chose to murder those innocent people. This man—this _monster_ chose to murder your uncle. You didn't kill anyone. He loved you very much. He's just trying to torment you psychologically."

"It's working, isn't it?" Grace sniffed.

"Only if you let it."

"He's clearly doing this to mess with us. But why? What did I ever do to him?" Hotch shook his head.

"I don't know. What I do know is this: You're going to need time to process this and grieve. Don't think I don't know. When Haley died, I blamed myself all the time. Don't let him get into your head." Suddenly, what was once sadness was now replaced with anger.

"Hotch, you hunted George Foyet for ten years," Grace growled, "this one's mine."

"I don't get it," JJ asked, "how did he know about Bo Foyet?"

"He obviously stalked you and Grace," Hotch said.

"But how could he have known we were gong to interview him?"

"The only people I told I was going to see him were you guys," Grace said.

"Then we've got to consider something disturbing," Rossi said, "the unsub is law enforcement."

"But all of Shaugnessy and O'Mara's former co-workers check out," Reid said, "and all the police today were on patrols."

"Who else would know all the details of Foyet's case?" Rossi asked.

"And who else would know I was interviewing Bo?" JJ asked.

"And the deal," Rossi added, "that was never made public."

"Someone no one would ever suspect," Hotch said with anger laced in his tone, "the unsub is an FBI agent."


	9. Chapter 9 Close to Home

Chapter 9: Close to Home

"An FBI agent?" Grace asked.

"You mean he's one of us?" JJ asked.

"Guys, think about it," Reid said, "who else would know exactly what happened to Hotch? Who else would know that Grace is the daughter of George Foyet?"

"Another agent," Rossi said, grimly. The thought that the copycat was on the inside terrified everyone.

"I'm gonna get Garcia on this," Hotch said, "we need to look at every agent who's read the case file. And we need to rule out Grace's partners in the Innocent Images Unit."

"Penelope's House of Omniscience, how may I be of service?" Garcia asked.

"Garcia, I need you to compile a list of all the agents who read Foyet's case file," Hotch commanded.

"You mean besides 'mini-Reaper?'" Garcia asked.

"Garcia..." Hotch warned.

"I know, sir. I'm sorry!" Garcia exclaimed, "It's just, that I don't like change and.."

"Garcia, I know," Hotch answered, "we all miss Prentiss. And I know Morgan didn't leave on good terms. I'm sorry for that. But Grace is a valuable asset to our team and her life could be in danger."

"I know, sir. I agree. I'm sure I'll like her, it's just the-"

"Circumstances. I know. It's gonna take some getting used to. But, if this unsub is after Grace, then he's also after me. He knows every detail of what happened."

"Oh God!" Garcia exclaimed. She typed at what seemed the speed of lightning.

"I sent you the list sir," Garcia said, "be warned. It's a long one."

"Garcia, we don't have much time."

"I know, sir. Be safe! And Hotch, I'm sorry!"

"Don't be. Just give it time." Hotch had to chuckle at the tech analyst's constant apologizing and rambling. Since she didn't have Morgan to banter with anymore, well, Hotch was the next best thing.

"We need to narrow down the list and fast," JJ said.

"Okay. It's personal for him," Rossi said, "you mean something to him, Hotch."

"But what?" he asked, "surely there must be some stressor that started his downward spiral."

"Maybe it's someone you rejected for a position in the B.A.U," Reid shrugged.

"But why would he replicate the Reaper's crimes just because you rejected him?" Grace asked.

"I hate to say it," Strauss said, "but he could've been in the B.A.U before."

"What do you mean, Strauss?" Rossi asked.

"With all due respect, Agent Hotchner, you recently fired Agent Morgan."

"Ma'am, you can't possibly saying..."

"I'm not saying anything, I'm just saying maybe this is the trigger you're looking for." The team looked stunned.

"Morgan _does_ have a personal connection to Foyet," Rossi said.

"What happened?" Grace asked.

"When Foyet manipulated us into thinking he was the victim, he gave us different addresses. We split up and covered each address. At one of the houses, Foyet was there. He killed Sergeant O'Mara and knocked out Morgan," Hotch explained.

"Morgan eventually came to," JJ took over, "but he was pretty shaken up about it. The Reaper left a bullet behind to toy with Morgan. He wanted to show Morgan he could've easily killed him."

"Psychological torture," Grace interjected.

"He couldn't let it go," Hotch said, "he stole Morgan's credentials at the crime scene. When I was attacked in my apartment, Foyet drove me to the hospital, using Morgan's credentials..." Hotch trailed off, realizing what he was implying. His heart was now filled with stoic rage.

"He pretended to be Morgan," Grace said.

"Woah, woah, woah," Reid interjected, "you can't actually think MORGAN did all this?!"

"Reid, I don't want to believe it anymore than you do," Rossi said, "we don't."

"But the fact that Grace joined the team coupled with the fact that Hotch fired him—he could see that as some sort of betrayal," JJJ said, "plus he knew we were going to be interviewing Bo. Grace mentioned him on her first case."

"And he wants revenge on me for getting him fired," Grace said, "he was stalking me."

"He also see you as an enemy because you're a Foyet," Reid added.

"He wants revenge on me because _I_ was the one who fired him. Not you, Grace," Hotch said with an edge in his tone. He slammed his fist on the table.

"Hotch..." Rossi said.

"Someone get Garcia off of this case," Hotch ordered, "she's not going to like this. JJ, I want you to set up a protective detail for Grace."

"What about you?" Rossi asked.

"I'll be fine," Hotch reassured. But, deep down inside, he didn't think he was going to be fine and neither would Grace. He was going through a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, and regret. Was it his fault this all happened? _I shoudl've never fired Morgan_ he thought. No time for the blame game right now. He was seeing red. He was seething. One of his agents was in mortal danger, and the other, former agent was a mortal enemy.


	10. Chapter 10 Missing Agent

Chapter 10: Missing Agent

Hotch, analyst Kevin Lycnh, and Reid rushed to Garcia's office.

"Garcia, we need you off this case, now!" Hotch barked.

"Wha-what?" Garcia asked.

"Plum sauce," Kevin said, "just go home."

"Wha..what is this about?" Garcia asked, concerned.

"We think the unsub may be Derek Morgan," Hotch said.

"No," Garcia whispered, "you're wrong!"

"It makes sense," Reid said, "he was fired from is job, didn't like Grace-"

"Reid!" Hotch exclaimed.

"Oh, god!" Garcia exclaimed.

"Garcia," Hotch said in a softer tone, "go home. Get some rest."

"No!" Garcia exclaimed, "look at the screen! Grace!" Hotch and Reid rushed over. A hooded man broke in to the bullpen and knocked out Grace.

"Son of a-" Hotch exclaimed, "how did he get in?"

"I don't know sir," Garcia stammered. Just then, the man took off his hood. Right in front of the screen was none other than former B.A.U agent Derek Morgan.

"My Chocolate Adonis, why are you doing this?!" Garcia exclaimed.

"This is his way of getting revenge," Reid said, "go back to where it all began."

"He's taunting us," Hotch said, fighting to maintain control, "he wants us to know that he has Grace!"

"Why did he take her?" Garcia asked.

"Because he wants to get to me. He wants to make sure Grace 'pays' for what she did,"

"But she didn't do anything!"

"In his mind, she did. She did something by being the daughter of my arch nemisis."

"That doesn't make sense!" Garcia exclaimed.

"It only has to make sense to him. Go home, Garica," Hotch said, "I know this is hard to believe. I can...barely believe it either."

"No, no. I want to help."

Hotch sighed.

"Alright. You and Kevin go through every security footage and figure out how he got in. We need to locate Rossi and JJ." Just then, Rossi and JJ came storming in,

"There's been a security breech!" Rossi said.

"Grace has been kidnapped," Hotch said, "he has her!" The sound of Hotch's phone ringing drowned out all the other sounds.

"Hotchner."

"Hotch, Hotch, Hotch," Morgan taunted, "your damn ego's done it again! Isn't that what old George told you?"

"Where is she?" Hotch growled in a tone that made the others step back, "WHERE IS SHE YOU SON OF A BITCH?"

"It runs in the family, doesn't it?" Hotch could hear the sound of a car driving.

"What runs in the family?"

"Oh, I'm just giving her what she deserves."

"You're no better, Morgan. You're a serial killer, too."

"At least you still had a job afterwards!"

"You tell me where she is," Hotch growled, dangerously, "or I swear to God I will kill you."

"Just like you did with George Foyet. Are you scared? You should be." Then, Hotch heard a _click._ The team stood still.

"Did he say where he had her?"

"No, but I know where we're going."

The team looked confused.

"He mentioned how I killed George Foyet after Haley died."

"He's trying to recreate that scenario," Rossi said.

"He's going to our old house. Let's go!"


	11. Chapter 11 Deja Vu

Chapter 11: Deja Vu

When Grace came to, she was tied to a chair. Her hands were cuffed with handcuffs and a tall, dark-skinned man stood over her.

"Grace, Grace Grace," the man sneered, "karma's a bitch, ain't it?"

"Morgan?" Grace asked, wearily.

"It's okay if you don't remember me. We only worked together for about, oh, one week."

"What do you want with me?" Grace asked.

"It's simple. Take you back where you belong."

"What did I ever DO TO YOU?!" Grace all but screamed.

"You took my job! You didn't deserve to be on the team anyway!"

"Says who?" Grace taunted back, "Hotch thought I was well-qualified for the job." Morgan snorted.

"A serial killer's daughter, yeah right."

"You're no better than he is, Morgan," Grace neogitated.

"At least _I_ didn't kill Haley Hotchner in this house. Hotch didn't beat me to death in this very room," Morgan raged.

"George Foyet did that," Grace stated, calmly, "I know what he did to you. You gotta let it go, man."

"What? You know better than me? Show up on the first day and everyone praises you? Agent Grace FOYET!" Morgan yelled.

"They're gonna find you," Grace said, "and you're not gonna stand a chance. Why'd you kill Uncle Bo. WHAT DID HE EVER DO TO YOU MORGAN?" The fear in her bones was replaced by rage, realizing she was face to face with her uncle's killer.

"He raised a killer.," Morgan answered, "being a Foyet gave him bonus points in my book."

"Who I am shouldn't mean anything to you! Bo's never been anything but sweet and loving and YOU TOOK THAT AWAY! Why? Because of my past?! Because YOU got fired because of your big ego?"

"What, is your beloved Aaron Hotchner gonna save you today? I've never known him to save a killler."

"I'm not a killer. I've never even shot an unsub before! Besides, when they find you, Hotch just might do worse to you. You really are no better than my father. " Morgan raised the knife.

"Are you scared? You should be, Grace. This is FATE," he ranted, "your uncle Bo won't be there. Prepare to meet your father." He looked up to the sky.

"George Foyet, I believe you and your daughter have not been properly introduced." He aimed the knife towards the agent's chest.

"Drop the knife Morgan," Hotch commanded, venom laced in his tone.

"She deserves this!" the agent-turned-killer ranted.

"No, she does not," Hotch neogitated, "now drop the knife."

"She was never supposed to be on this team!" Morgan yelled.

"Why?" Reid asked, "who are you to say who can and can't be in the B.A.U?"

"She's cursed!"

"Is this what it's about?" Hotch cocked his head to the side, "Grace Foyet joining the B.A.U? Has this always been your motive? What about those innocent people in Boston, Morgan? The couple coming home from the concert?" Morgan shook his head.

"No, no, no."

"No, you DIDN'T think," Hotch said, "now drop the knife and _let her go_." He inched closer to his former colleauge.

"Hotch..." Rossi trailed off.

"Please, just get me out of here!" Grace cried.

"No, man, you didn't think before bringing in a KILLER into the B.A.U!"

"She's not the serial killer, Morgan. You are." Two shots rang out and, then, it was all over. Derek Morgan was dead.


	12. Chapter 12 It's All Over

Chapter 12: It's All Over

"Get me out of here!" Grace exclaimed.

"Relax, relax," Rossi said. As Hotch untied her he radioed in, "We need a medic!"

"Oh my god!" Grace exclaimed, "is he-"

"He's dead, Grace," Reid said, "he can't hurt anyone anymore."

"I'll call Garcia," JJ offered.

"You mean my baby boy's dead?" Garcia asked.

"Hotch shot him," JJ said, "he had a knife!" Garcia gasped.

"Why..why would he do that? What happened to him?" JJ shook her head.

"I don't know Garcia. When Hotch fired him, he just snapped, I guess," JJ answered.

"And he released all that inner anger by copying the Reaper," Garcia stated grimly, "how's Hotch gonna get over that? His trusted friend and colleauge betrayed him!"

"I don't know Garcia. But, he'll make it."

"And, Grace? How is she?"

"They're taking her to the hospital as a precaution. Everything looks fine. He didn't stab her." Garcia breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm coming over there."

"Garcia, you don't have to-"

"After the way I've treated her, I think I owe her that much, JJ," Garcia answered, "you're not stopping me." A looming silence lingered over the phone.

"You know, JJ, I still want to think of Derek as my Chocolate Adonis, not as the person he's become," she said sadly, "I just don't know how to seperate the two."

"Hey," Grace said, "where's the rest of the team?"

"They're outside," Hotch said, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm a little better," she smiled, "the main question is how are _you_?"

Hotch grimaced.

"I'm..getting there," he answered, "it's hard to believe someone I trusted with my life could be capable of all this. I never thought he would betray us like that."

"I'm sorry," Grace said. Hotch looked at her.

"You had to relieve your worst moments," Grace answered, "you had to relieve everything George Foyet did to you, and to the team. And I," she blushed, "kind of brought that on you."

"Grace, you didn't bring anything on us," Hotch reassured, "nothing that happened was your fault. Nothing that _he_ did was your fault."

"Is it true?" Grace asked, "that you beat him to death with your bare hands?"

Hotch sighed.

"Yes. I never thought I'd be _capable_ of something like that in a million years."

"You do what you have to do to protect your family. You're lucky. You got to Jack on time. I didn't get to Bo."

"Grace, Bo's death was not your fault. He would've found a way to kill him regardless. Do you know what happened after I refused the deal?"

"He murdered a bus full of people, didn't he?"

"Yes, and I believed it was my fault. I should've taken the deal."

"But it wasn't-"

"I know. But I still felt like it. And you're going to feel that way for some time, but it will get better. Trust me. It's been two years since Haley and I'm dating a woman named Beth."

"You, DATING?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, I was surprised too," a voice piped up.

"Garcia?" Grace and Hotch asked at the same time.

"I come bearing gifts," she marched in, carrying two fruit baskets—and a bunch of other stuff from the gift store.

"Garcia, what is this?" Hotch asked.

"One for you, sir, and one for you, Grace." She placed the baskets on the table.

"Garcia, you didn't have to do that," Grace said, "I'm fine!"

"I know. But, I wanted to. And since I haven't been all that welcoming towards you, here you go!" She shoved the items from the gift shop in her hand.

"How did you know I liked puppies and choclate? And how'd you know I was a Journey fan?" Grace asked, cradling the stuffed animals.

"I..might've hacked into your credit card histroy," Garcia answered.

"Garcia.." Hotch tried to warn, but he couldn't hide the ghost of a smile on his face.

"Thank you so much!" Grace threw her arms around the tech analyst.

"You're welcome—oh!" Garcia exclaimed, wandering over to the table, "Is this a Vera Bradley purse?"

"Yes. I got in on sale for just twenty-two dollars."

"Girl, that's amazing! You know, I love Vera Bradley," Garcia rambled, "I have like, twenty different purses. Oh! You and I should go shopping sometime. I could get a bargain like you. And we can get coffee and-"

"Garcia," Grace intterupted, "I would love to do that." Hotch shook his head. _Women_ he thought as he left the two girls to ramble on some more.

A week later, the team had gathered at Rossi's place for a fine Italian dinner. They had just finished up a case, and they were all exhausted.

"Mmm. I like this linguini," Grace said.

"Not yet," Rossi scolded, "first, we're gonna learn how to make it." The team fake-groaned.

"You're in for one of Rossi's famous cooking lessons," JJ whispered. "brace yourself." The team watched as Rossi taught the team his grandmother's recipie for linguini.

"Mmm, you're grandmother knows what she's talking about," Grace agreed as she took a bite.

"Italian grandmothers know all the tricks," Rossi answered.

As the team ate and drank, Rossi tapped on his class.

"I know last week was a rough week. The B.A.U, had a few shake ups, one of which we are grateful for. Agent Grace Foyet has proved to be an exceptional agent. To Grace, may your days at the B.A.U be long and fufilling!"

"To Grace!" the team cheered. It seemed as Grace Foyet had finally found a place where she belonged.

THE END


End file.
